Dome cover for tank cars



Feb. 5, 1935. e. w. KING I DOME COVER FOR TANK CARS Filed NOV. 2'7, 1931Patented Feb. 5, 1935 w p 1,990,189 'poMi; oovEle FORITANK'CARS -GeorgeKing, Coffeyville, Kans., assignor of v two-twelfths to Lee '1; Englund,two-twelfths to John-,E..=Mahan, both of Coffeyville, Kan s.,

"and, sieyen twelfthsf to' Roy T. Osborn, New

Y rkY,

1 Application November 27 1931, Serial No. 577,488 Qlairns. (o1.z 2o z4)My invention relates to dome covers fortank cars and is primarilyconcerned with providing a cover that may be readily interchanged withpresent types of threaded dome'icovers without requiring anymodifications of existing strucf" tures. I,

One object of my invention to devise a dome characteristics sufiicientlyadequate to meet the requirements of a casing head gasoline tank cardome cover.

A further objectis to provide a dome cover' which permits theutilization ofthe-fpresentdome ring and which enablesthe'cover proper tobe secured in positionby attachment" other than screw threads, sdthatthe cover will-provideaf moreeffective seal agai ns t vapor pressure.

character indicated which is held in position by a series of swingablymounted'bolts' which are permanently attached to-a collar fixed to thedome of the tank car, the position of the bolts when the cover is insecuring position being such that, when the bolts are being loosened toper mit removal of the cover, a sufiicient retaining engagement of thebolts with th'e'cover is main i H V I U showing the same in relation toa portion-of a tamed-while the cover'is capacitatedfor a slight movementaway fronr the valve seat to relieve any excessive pressure within thetank car.

A large number of the tank cars now in operation are provided with theold screw type of dome cover which, through continued use, becomes sobattered and worn as to be very objectionable, particularly where thecar is being employed for the transportation of volatile, inflammablevapors and liquids. The screw type of dome cover is intended to form asealing engagement with the dome ring through the medium of a leadpacking ring, but this ring, over a period of time, becomes dented andwill not satisfactorily operate as a sealing element. The lattercondition obtains particularly when the car is being coupled in train,causing, a spraying of the contents outwardly on the surface of the carbetween the cover and dome ring; The threads on these types of coversalso become worn with the result that the cover elventually reaches acondition of the so-called drop lid, necessitating an actual prying ofthe cover out of the ring by a bar or other suitable tool. The latteraction obviously is very detrimental to the soft lead sealing ring. Thescrew cover, moreover, frequently exhibits a tendency to stick and inthe A further object is to "provide a cover of the effort tolloosen thecover, it is very often cracked and'there, is always thedangenofbreating a spark during such removal with obvious results, 7

where the car is loaded with inflammablematerial.

The present invention is intended to over-- come the foregoingobjections through providing a dome cover which may be readily mountedon those cars whichare now provided with the screw type of cover. Thenature of the proposed arrangementQi's'such that the degree of sealingengagement obtainable, if the other parts of the V car. are'in a propercondition, will satisfactorily meet the requirements established bytheAmerican Railway Association for Class IV tank cars.

The new cover possesses inherent features in that, during the process ofremoving the cover, any excessive pressure obtaining within the tankcarwill be relieved prior to a complete removal of'the cover; r.

These and further objects of my invention will f be set forth in thefollowing specification, reff- I claims.

tank car dome.

Fig. 2 is a section" along. the line =2 2 in Fig. 1, I

2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

showingthe manner of hingedly connecting the cover to the accompanyingstructure.

Referring to Fig. 2, the numeral 10 designates a'portion of a tank cardome which is provided with the usual dome ring 11 that is internallythreaded as at 12. A collar 13 which is exteriorly threaded adjacent itslower end is screwed into the ring 11 and the opposite end of saidcollar is provided with a beveled valve seat 14. Intermediate its ends,the collar 13 is provided with an annular, exteriorly positioned flangev15, between which and the ring 11 is interposed a sealing ring 16, thusproviding a vapor-tight joint in the indicated location when the collar13 isin position.

Above the flange 15, the collar 13 is provided Wit h '3, plurality oflugs 1''! which are preferably arranged in spaced pairs around theperiphery of this collar. Bridged between each pair of said lugs is apin 18 upon which is pivotally mounted the apertured end of an eye-bolt19.

'erence being had to the accompanying drawing, and the novelfmeans bywhich said objects are eifectuated will be definitely pointed out inthe' 25, I

Accordingly, these eye-bolts are permanently and that during thisrelief, the cover 21 will still be swingably mounted on the collar 13.The threadadequately, held against any sudden movement ed stem of eacheye-bolt 19 is intended to pass outwardlyby the bolts 19. The improvedcover between a pair of lugs 20 which are provided on may be readilysubstituted for existing threaded 5 a dome cover 21, it being understoodthat there covers without requiring any changes in the pre- 5 are asmany pairs of 1ugs20 as there are eye-* maining portionoif'the domestructure. v bolts 19. The ,undersi deof theicover zizisfurther While.I'have shown one set of elements'iand provided with a preferablycircular shou1der--22" combinations thereof for 'efl'ectuating myimhaving a curved cross-section which is intended proved dome cover, itwill be understood that the 10 to cooperate with the valve seat 14. Whenthe--- same is intended for illustration only and in no 10 cover is inthe sealing position shownrin Figtz, wise-t0,-restrietA;he device to theexact forms and the bolts 19 are swung upwardly to pass betweenstructures shown, for many changes may be made the indicated pairs oflugs 20; whereupon-the-nuts therein without departing from the spirit ofmy 23 on said bolts may be tightened to'securelyjh'ol'd' inventionpsuchasMthe adaptation of the dome said cover in sealing position: 'l a'cove'i imtanksingenerm; The application of the 15 As an improvement onthe present method of' improved domecoverto tank cars has beenadoptholcling a screw type of dome cover with a chain, ed for purposeof'desc'ription only and is not to it is contemplated that theido xne"cover-1:213 wi-lIri bmconsidereduaatre'strictive in nature, although behingedly connected to the collar 13. To this ,the'domewover does havespecific advant e 7 end, a hinge part 24 is provided on said collar andin respect ora, tank car. 7 20 is .eshaped itoaextendeupwardlyiiandoutwardlyt- I claim; 1 v a a t I Y therefrom. Ar quadrant shaped. slotl25tis formed; 1. I ln attank Lear theicombination-of -.amEinter-FM inthe hinge-24pm receive ,a hinge in za that. ism u x dome iringjntefided-ito,.n01m3,1ly mountedimthecoverm, lttzwillibevobseryed that-receive-a.threaded dometcover a collar threaded 251., the shape oftheslot 25 is such that the cover-.21.:insaidhring andxhaving atvalyetseati u is moi Z znwfl d yt d.=t en -Outwardly aw y having sealing contactwith said ring,vbolt meansfrom athaentrance toctheu dome-110, while.stillsmountedt omsaid-gcollar a ncov'en. lhavingz -a partsmaintainingt-anwadequateTandfixedl connection l for sealablyrcoopemtingrzwith saidlseat m pse tothe collar:;13'.,-i a t "on saidrcover.icooperatingt with,saidbolt' means:

1, Ina-applying theadome ecoyer above describedforholdingtheicovermtpositionm. I i t toa:tankecaniwhichihasrtheretoforeabeenwpro 1 In,,a tank.caxwthencombination vof -an-inteize vided withthe ordinary screwtypeof. cover, itis: nally thrMaded. dome. .ring.,intended rto normallyyi-QEGQSSM?! toe emo-vlfi ihe latter -and-mo re?receive a threaded domecover, a collarc threaded I place, where; necessarygsameWLJseaIing-JingJ for- -intsaidt ringand haying; at yalveiseat, said;collar theyring denoted-,by;the,numeral .16 Thereafter, having sealingcontactt withvsaid rina a plurality; 35

the collars-1111 isthreaded in= h =domeering lyandw of,securina-bqltsswin abln mountedionsaid ..co1.-:; theccoverz 21 may-imDQ F L. vfl fi lary a eovenhavinaa pant fortsealablmcooperatingt,1described-:1 I withgsaidseat -anmspacedzelugsbn-trsaidccoverThe.maturesofa-th n e fieieting val e .-parts-. ,-of.-..operatinalnbemunction-iwithsaidboltsrand nutsi 40 ,the cover and collaris such that a veryr efiec-tivemr iq b it f holdmg the; cpye tjnposition.

EM mnvided: against Waller pre sure, w hrth 3.11m t=atankcararthefmombination of annin-F, further advantage that zsuchtvalveparts are :not:.-ternal1y threadedigemeging,intendedto nOrmally easily:-,damaged ,in -.usem 'l'he: collar ?13, ;Wi h ritS---reeeiye.- .athreaded r domepcover ia pollarrhavingm; associatedheyeebolts,;-.remains;lpermanentlm in a valve seatthneadeddnesaidringgand beinefi {11 511510112ontthea erl avinerpnlmtheadecev vided-rvithtamamiulaaflange overlyinsnsaid rins; 21 to be loosenedand swung outwardly on itsn fonsealjnggontact ithelFeWith;-;&-;BOYB1haying ac" h n 24. Du n su h l s ine lnevement it part;for:sealablyfimflpeaating witksaidrseatpears will be obviousvthat theinitial unscrewing move extendingqoutwardly; from said collaeabove saidtmentof thetnuts 23 willapermit ai-sufiieientraxiwagflangegandfbolt.means-mountedmnsaidears and. movem nt of the v r to rli ve a y-exces ;v pors-enga ing saidicoveetwhem thesamevin position.,-50 pressure. thatmmayiiobtaipnwithinmthe tank and GEQRGE-,-W-.-'KING.-

